# Rosebud River

The Rosebud River is a major tributary of the Red Deer River in Alberta, Canada. The Rosebud River passes through agricultural lands and ranchland for most of its course, and through badlands in its final reaches. It provides water for irrigation canals through a variety of dams built on its course and that of its tributaries.
The name is a translation of the Cree word Akokiniskway, meaning "the river of many roses".

## Course

The Rosebud River originates in central Alberta, at an elevation of 1,095 meters (3,593 ft), southwest of Didsbury. It flows north and has a dam before it is crossed by Highway 582 and the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks. It receives the waters of Copeley Lake, then turns south through Didsbury, where it is crossed again by Highway 582 and Highway 2A. It then flows in a general south-eastern direction and is crossed by Highway 2 and Highway 581. It continues south-east and is crossed by Highway 72 and Highway 9 north of Irricana and south of Beiseker. It then continues eastwards and flows into southern Alberta, where it is crossed by Highway 21 and Highway 840 at the hamlet of Rosebud. The river then turns north-east, and its course is followed by the Canadian National Railway tracks as it is crossed by Highway 841. After reaching the hamlet of Wayne, it is also followed by Highway 10X through a badlands canyon that reaches 150 meters (490 ft) in depth. Eleven bridges cross the river back and forth through the badlands canyon. Rosebud River empties into the Red Deer River at Rosedale, at an elevation of 675 meters (2,215 ft).

## Tributaries and crossings

From origin to mouth, the Rosebud River receives the following tributaries or passes through these geographic features:
| Tributary or feature | Location | Remarks |
| Origin | 51°35′36″N 114°11′07″W﻿ / ﻿51.59329°N 114.18531°W﻿ / 51.59329; -114.18531﻿ (origin) | |
| Highway 582 | 51°39′50″N 114°11′53″W﻿ / ﻿51.66398°N 114.19809°W﻿ / 51.66398; -114.19809﻿ (HWY 582) | Bridge |
| Canadian Pacific Railway | 51°40′18″N 114°12′43″W﻿ / ﻿51.67174°N 114.21205°W﻿ / 51.67174; -114.21205﻿ (Canadian Pacific Railway) | Bridge |
| Copeley Lake | 51°44′38″N 114°10′22″W﻿ / ﻿51.74375°N 114.17283°W﻿ / 51.74375; -114.17283﻿ (Copeley Lake) | Left tributary |
| Canadian Pacific Railway | 51°41′58″N 114°09′42″W﻿ / ﻿51.69936°N 114.16173°W﻿ / 51.69936; -114.16173﻿ (Canadian Pacific Railway) | Bridge |
| Highway 582 | 51°39′47″N 114°06′43″W﻿ / ﻿51.66302°N 114.11206°W﻿ / 51.66302; -114.11206﻿ (Highway 582) | Bridge |
| Highway 2A | 51°39′28″N 114°05′46″W﻿ / ﻿51.65771°N 114.09606°W﻿ / 51.65771; -114.09606﻿ (Highway 2A) | Bridge |
| Highway 2 | 51°35′55″N 114°01′31″W﻿ / ﻿51.59859°N 114.02530°W﻿ / 51.59859; -114.02530﻿ (Highway 2) | tributary |
| Deadrick Creek | 51°34′42″N 113°58′05″W﻿ / ﻿51.57823°N 113.96793°W﻿ / 51.57823; -113.96793﻿ (Deadrick Creek) | Left tributary |
| Highway 581 | 51°33′42″N 113°57′24″W﻿ / ﻿51.56153°N 113.95680°W﻿ / 51.56153; -113.95680﻿ (Highway 581) | Bridge |
| Sheep Coulee | 51°31′51″N 113°56′01″W﻿ / ﻿51.53070°N 113.93357°W﻿ / 51.53070; -113.93357﻿ (Sheep Coulee) | Right tributary |
| Highway 791 | 51°29′27″N 113°49′34″W﻿ / ﻿51.49082°N 113.82614°W﻿ / 51.49082; -113.82614﻿ (Highway 791) | Bridge |
| Carstairs Creek | 51°25′35″N 113°44′30″W﻿ / ﻿51.42627°N 113.74154°W﻿ / 51.42627; -113.74154﻿ (Carstairs Creek) | Right tributary |
| CN Rail | 51°21′11″N 113°35′10″W﻿ / ﻿51.35297°N 113.58602°W﻿ / 51.35297; -113.58602﻿ (CN Rail) | Bridge |
| Highway 9 | 51°20′57″N 113°34′22″W﻿ / ﻿51.34907°N 113.57265°W﻿ / 51.34907; -113.57265﻿ (Highway 9) | Bridge |
| Crossfield Creek | 51°20′06″N 113°34′14″W﻿ / ﻿51.33508°N 113.57053°W﻿ / 51.33508; -113.57053﻿ (Crossfield Creek) | Right tributary |
| Highway 21 | 51°19′02″N 113°14′37″W﻿ / ﻿51.31721°N 113.24361°W﻿ / 51.31721; -113.24361﻿ (HWY 861) | Bridge |
| Atusis Creek | 51°18′48″N 113°03′19″W﻿ / ﻿51.31321°N 113.05515°W﻿ / 51.31321; -113.05515﻿ (Atusis Creek) | Left tributary |
| Serviceberry Creek | 51°17′28″N 113°01′12″W﻿ / ﻿51.29105°N 113.01992°W﻿ / 51.29105; -113.01992﻿ (Serviceberry Creek) | Right tributary |
| Redland | 51°17′30″N 113°00′36″W﻿ / ﻿51.29173°N 113.01005°W﻿ / 51.29173; -113.01005﻿ (Redland) | Flows by community |
| Rosebud | 51°17′58″N 112°57′01″W﻿ / ﻿51.29950°N 112.95040°W﻿ / 51.29950; -112.95040﻿ (Rosebud) | Flows by community |
| Severn Creek | 51°17′50″N 112°56′57″W﻿ / ﻿51.29729°N 112.94908°W﻿ / 51.29729; -112.94908﻿ (Severn Creek) | Right tributary |
| Home Coulee | 51°22′44″N 112°39′31″W﻿ / ﻿51.37890°N 112.65848°W﻿ / 51.37890; -112.65848﻿ (Home Coulee) | Right tributary |
| Wayne | 51°22′53″N 112°39′38″W﻿ / ﻿51.38138°N 112.66042°W﻿ / 51.38138; -112.66042﻿ (Wayne) | Flows through community |
| Red Deer River | 51°25′15″N 112°37′47″W﻿ / ﻿51.42072°N 112.62979°W﻿ / 51.42072; -112.62979﻿ (Red Deer River) | River mouth |
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